A child bursts through the front door with muddy knees and a massive, breathless grin, loudly shouting about the enormous dog they just chased across the local park. “The dog were huge! My friends was running so fast!”
As parents, our ears instantly catch the grammatical mistakes. However, to a young, racing mind, the sheer excitement of sharing a story entirely overrides the strict, mechanical rules of the English language.
When children start recounting their daily adventures and playground dramas, they are essentially learning how to time travel using nothing but their voices. They have to shift their vocabulary backwards to explain something that has already happened.
While mastering the past tense is a massive developmental leap, it often comes with a few bumps in the road. Instead of constantly interrupting their exciting stories to correct them, we need to show them the brilliant, mechanical logic hiding behind the words. Let us break down exactly how to teach the past tense without dampening their storytelling spirit.
The difference between was were
To help a child understand the mechanical difference between was were, you have to completely drop the heavy grammar textbooks and turn the lesson into a simple counting game. Young children do not understand abstract terms like ‘singular pronouns’ or ‘plural verbs’. They only understand physical numbers.
You can explain that these two specific words are basically just the ‘ghosts’ of words they already know. When we talk about something happening right now, we use the words “is” and “am”. If I have one apple, I say, “It is red.” But when that apple disappears yesterday, the word “is” turns into its ghost, “was.”
Therefore, the rule is strictly about counting. If a child is talking about one single person, one single animal, or one single object, they must use “was”.
- The cat was asleep on the sofa.
- The shiny red car was incredibly fast.
- I was eating a massive chocolate biscuit.
On the other hand, if they are talking about a large group of people, a huge pile of toys, or a whole flock of birds, the word changes. When there is more than one, the ghost of “are” becomes “were”.
- The muddy dogs were barking loudly.
- My shiny shoes were left out in the pouring rain.
- We were hiding perfectly behind the large oak tree.
Read More – Guide to Teaching English Grammar for Kids
Mastering the use of was and were in Daily Life
Children are highly tactile, physical learners. If you want them to confidently grasp the use of was and were, you have to pull the lesson off the flat page and bring it into their messy, physical world.
Start by emptying a box of blocks onto the living room rug. Pick up one single block and hold it high in the air. Tell your child, “This block was in the box.” You are actively showing them that ‘one’ equals ‘was’. Then, scoop up a massive handful of blocks, drop them on the rug, and say, “These blocks were in the box.”
The stark physical contrast between holding a single lightweight block and dropping a heavy handful makes the vocabulary rule instantly click in their developing brains. This logical, hands-on method of exploring language mechanics is a core, foundational principle of the Heureka curriculum.
Rather than forcing children to passively memorise a chalk board full of grammar rules, we actively encourage them to physically sort objects, group them by number, and naturally attach the correct vocabulary to the physical weight of what they are holding. When they physically feel the difference between one and many, the grammar naturally follows.
Understanding the was were difference between Rules and Exceptions
Just when a child perfectly understands the counting rule, the English language throws a massive, confusing spanner into the works. There is one major exception that breaks the entire counting system, and it usually causes a lot of frustration.
When parents try to explain the was were difference between standard words and the word “You”, they have to teach the rule of politeness. Even if you are pointing directly at one single child and talking only to them, you can never say “You was.” You must always say “You were.” Why does this happen? You can explain to your child that “You” is a highly special, royal word in the English dictionary.
Hundreds of years ago, people used it to speak to kings and queens, so it always demands the bigger, grander word, even if there is only one person standing in the room. Giving children a fun, historical reason for a broken rule helps them accept the exception rather than just feeling frustrated by it.
Read More – Engaging English Grammar Rules for Kids
Constructing were sentences in English
Once they understand the basic counting rules and the royal exception, the best way to solidify their knowledge is through active, silly practice. Building confidence were sentences in English should feel like a ridiculous game, not a school test.
Take turns making up the most absurd stories you can possibly imagine while driving in the car or walking to the supermarket. You can start by giving them a subject, and they have to finish the sentence with the correct past-tense word.
- Parent: “Yesterday, the giant green aliens…”
- Child: “…were dancing on the roof!”
- Parent: “And the flying purple elephant…”
- Child: “…was eating all the chimney pots!”
By making the sentences hilarious and entirely unexpected, you completely remove the academic pressure. They stop worrying about failing a grammar test and start focusing entirely on the fun of the narrative, naturally slotting the correct mechanical words into place without a second thought.
Conclusion
Grammar is not just a rigid, boring set of rules invented to make school difficult; it is the invisible, structural glue that holds our history and our personal stories together. When we teach a child how to accurately speak about yesterday, we are giving them the vital tools to share their memories, explain their feelings, and perfectly describe the world they have just explored.
It is genuinely thought-provoking to realise that a simple shift between two tiny words completely changes the scope, size, and reality of a child’s story. If we guide them through these linguistic puzzles with patience, logic, and a bit of physical play, we build fiercely confident communicators who are never afraid to share their wild adventures.
To discover more fantastic ways to fuel your child’s daily development and nurture their storytelling skills, dive into the EuroKids Blog and secure their exciting educational journey today through EuroKids Preschool Admission.
FAQs
Is it normal for a four-year-old to mix these words up constantly?
Yes, it is entirely normal and expected! Children of this age are still actively mapping out the complex rules of language. They will frequently make mistakes as they test out new vocabulary, and they usually self-correct naturally as they listen to adult conversations.
Should I interrupt my child’s story to correct their grammar?
No, you should never stop a child mid-sentence just to fix a grammar mistake, as this destroys their storytelling confidence. Instead, simply repeat the sentence back to them correctly in your reply. If they say, “The dogs was loud,” you casually reply, “Yes, those dogs were very loud!”
Does reading books help with this specific grammar rule?
Absolutely. Reading beautifully written storybooks exposes children to perfectly structured past-tense sentences. The more they hear the rhythm of correct grammar read aloud, the faster their brains will naturally adopt the rules.
